Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Android 11 beta 2 focuses on improving media controls

By

Google hit a milestone on the way to its next major Android OS update, as the Android 11 beta 2 is now available for download. The next release, beta 3, will be the final candidate before launch, which is likely to coincide with the announcement of new Google Pixel hardware.

Google lists no significant changes for the beta 2 download, but improvements to some key features show where Google’s focus lies with the next OS. Media playback will see a slew of enhancements across the board, from interface improvements to new behaviors, and the bubble notification system is also getting more interactive. Our friends at XDA Developers have a deep dive, and here are the best new features.

Recommended Videos

Easier to listen

Google is making it easier to find media controls with the next Android update. Instead of burying media playback buttons deep in the notifications shade, now you can play and skip from a small window up top just below the Quick Settings buttons. Any app that supports playback through the settings menu will be able to use this new look and feel.

Media app developers can also sign on to support a new ‘media sessions’ feature. If you are listening to a podcast in your car, then skip to workout music in the gym, then an audiobook in the sauna, the next Android update makes it much easier to move from one piece of content to the next without losing your place. You won’t need to reopen every app to jump back in and continue where you left off.

More powerful bubbles

Google has been moving away from pop-up notifications that overlay your screen to smaller, friendlier “Bubbles” that pop up and can be set aside or easily dismissed. With Android 11 beta 2, bubbles now support chat within the bubble window. Currently, only Facebook Messenger and Google’s chat services work with Bubbles, but the feature is available for developers to support.

Bubbles will be a new behavior for most users, so Google has also made it more clear in the chat interface when you can move a chat to a bubble. There is a bit more instruction to help users understand.

Screen recording and shortcuts

The screen recording feature lets you make a video of whatever is happening on your screen, and now Google lets you record all of that content along with whatever your microphone is hearing. So now instead of just sending along a video, you can add your voice to explain what the viewer is seeing. This will be incredibly useful for providing instructions and commentary.

A few features are getting better shortcuts. If you run a smart home with numerous devices, Android 11 will now give you access to these devices through shortcuts in the Power Menu. Just press your power button and you can access a switch to turn off your lights. There will also be the option to long-press on a specific device to access more advanced options. Best of all, Android 11 will let you handle all of this without opening the specific smart home device app.

Sharing and gaming

Some of the best advantages Android holds over iOS are the robust sharing capabilities the system offers. Unfortunately, the list of sharing options on the Share Sheet can be an overwhelming mess. With Android 11, Google is cleaning up the Share Sheet to make it more navigable, grouping different actions from the same app under one button.

Google is also showing even more love for gaming support, as it adds more controllers to the pre-loaded library of drivers. In addition to all of the modern controllers available, you can now use an older Xbox 360, a USB Xbox controller, or a Steam controller with your Android phone. All of the button mapping support for those controllers and just about every other controller you can think of comes pre-baked into the Android 11 system.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Philip Berne
Philip Berne
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Android 15 release date: When will my phone get the update?
The Android 15 logo on a smartphone.

Google has announced and shown off Android 15, which is the next major version of its mobile operating system. The development and release cycle of Android typically has a three-phase strategy, and that applies to Android 15 as well.

The first phase is always the Developer Preview phase, which happened earlier this year. It’s then followed by the more public Beta testing phase, and then the final, stable version comes out for everyone.

Read more
Google has a magical new way for you to control your Android phone
Holding the Google Pixel 8 Pro, showing its Home Screen.

You don’t need your hands to control your Android phone anymore. At Google I/O 2024, Google announced Project Gameface for Android, an incredible new accessibility feature that will let users control their devices with head movements and facial gestures.

There are 52 unique facial gestures supported. These include raising your eyebrow, opening your mouth, glancing in a certain direction, looking up, smiling, and more. Each gesture can be mapped to an action like pulling down the notification shade, going back to the previous app, opening the app drawer, or going back to home. Users can customize facial expressions, gesture sizes, cursor speed, and more.

Read more
Android 15 has a clever way to make notifications less annoying
The Lock Screen on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

This year's Google I/O 2024 was kicked off with one of the rare keynotes where Android did not see most of the limelight. AI -- and more specifically, Gemini -- was the talk of the show, and even the Android section of the keynote was filled with all the intelligent features coming with Android 15. The second beta of Android 15 rolled out just a few hours after the keynote, and it brings many more features that weren't discussed onstage. One of them is "Adaptive Vibration," which seems exclusive to Pixel phones for now.

As the name suggests, Adaptive Vibration is designed to fine-tune the vibration strength of incoming notifications based on the environment or where your phone is located. Android Authority discovered the feature under the Sound & vibrations menu in Android 15 's settings.

Read more